Stranded passengers to reach land
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Carrying 3,299 passengers and 1,167 crew members, the ship became marooned in the Pacific about 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of San Diego, Southern California on Monday after an engine room caught fire.
The blaze erupted after the ship departed from Long Beach, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Los Angeles.
The 952-foot luxury liner was on the first leg of a seven-day Mexican Riviera tour when the accident occurred.
The decision to tow the luxury liner into San Diego instead of the initial emergency destination of Ensenada, Mexico, came Tuesday afternoon, said Carnival Cruise Lines, which owns the ship.
Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of the Florida-based cruise line, offered his regrets for the ordeal suffered by the passengers on the ill-fated voyage.
"They signed up for a great cruise vacation, and obviously that is not what they received," Cahill told reporters. "I would like to thank our guests for the patience and understanding they have shown in this very difficult situation, and we offer our very sincere apologies."
Many of the customers had to endure hot, stuffy staterooms, and some elected to seek relief by sleeping in open-air deck areas set aside by the crew for that purpose, Cahill said.
The stranded vacationers will get full refunds along with reimbursement for transportation costs, according to the company. Additionally, each will receive a complimentary future cruise equal to the amount paid for the aborted voyage.
Those who had been scheduled to sail on the ship's next voyage also will receive a refund of their fare and any air- transportation costs, along with a 25 percent discount on a future cruise.
The normal itinerary of the Splendor, which entered service in July 2008, includes stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
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